Many clients ask our opinion of the pricey Jules Verne restaurant in the second level of the Eiffel Tower. Is it worth the money? Isn’t it a tourist trap? Is it really a wonderful experience? Isn’t it over-priced? The answer to all of those questions is: yes.

Despite the agonizing, the Jules Verne remains a unique and exceptionally agreeable experience. Yes, it is touristy—you can not find a place in Paris that is more so. That does not matter. The setting is unique, iconic and indescribably romantic. The cuisine is also superb. What remains to resolve is the cost, for which there is no solution: it is indecently expensive. But, at the end of the day, it is worth it, because nothing in the world can replace it. How often will you be in Paris, anyway? So, stuff your wallet and enjoy.

Even if your trip is months away, be sure to book your table on line, now: do not procrastinate. The available tables disappear in a wink. You can do the booking at their online website at: http://www.restaurants-toureiffel.com. If your booking is not confirmed for the date and time you request, try to finesse it by advancing backward or forward your requested time in half hour increments—or change the date. And don’t forget to request a table by a window. All of their tables have views, but being next to one is special.

Living in Paris gives us many wonderful choices for dining, so it can sometimes be a dilemma to choose among them and give specific recommendations. That is not the case with the Jules Verne: there is nothing that can replace it. Moreover, if you go there for lunch during the week, you can reduce the cost by choosing their set meal, which is—for them—a bargain.

Finally, do not forget that, as noted in an earlier post, having a booking at the Jules Verne entitles you to the use of their elevator to get to the second platform of the tower, without having to buy elevator tickets. Avoiding the queues to get that far is already a value in its own right. After your meal, you can also buy tickets on the second platform to use the elevators to reach the third level, directly from vending machines on the second platform, for which there is never much of a queue.

By parislux|January 24th, 2011|Daily life|Comments Off on The Jules Verne Restaurant in Paris